Memories of Maggie

Maggie Fields came to us one day in the Fall of 1989. At the time, I was single and the night before my dog Checkers was hit by a car... I was so despondent that I went home that evening and scanned the newspapers for an English Springer Spaniel. Low and behold, there was an ad! The next day I drove to Turin, NY and met Maggie, a little darling who was born on July 19, 1989 and was a little ball of dark brown (liver) and white fur stole my heart. She just had to come home with me - all 7 pounds of her! I had named her after my Mom (Margaret) and as close as Mom and I are, I knew she would be the light of my life!

Maggie was the cutest little thing - a puff of love wrapped up in fur. Soon she began to grow (and grow and grow!) Her favorite thing was to sit outside and stare at the trees, as long as a tennis ball or a stick wasn't far behind!

In March of 1990, poor little Maggie woke up one morning and her eyes were swollen shut! I panicked -- what happened? Off we went to see her soon-to-be newest friend, John Blair Harff, DVM, better known as "Uncle Blair". Blair had never seen a situation like this before, and being it a Sunday morning, he called his friend at Cornell University. Sure enough, Maggie had developed "Puppy Strangles" or mumps for puppies!

After a few days (and lots of medication), she was back to her own self! Time went on -- and Maggie was just like any normal puppy - except for one thing.... she started to lose her hair! It is true - for the longest time, Maggie was bald on her backside! Our poor Maggie - shamed into thinking she was going bald at a young age! Once again, it was back to Uncle Blair! Again, after extensive medications and lots of $$ spent, Maggie had to be on a special diet - one that would last for the rest of her life... she was "forced" to eat cooked fresh ground lamb, brown or white rice, and cooked boneless chicken breast! Such a life!!

One day in July, 1990, I met the best daddy a dog-daughter could ever have... his name is Pat and he came to live with us - permanently. In October of that year, Pat and I were married, and Maggie just loved her new Daddy (except now she had to share the bed with him!) She and her Daddy would play constantly - he loved to throw the Frisbee or a stick for her, they shared doughnut holes and Oreo cookies, and were the best of pals. In fact, they even slept together. Often times it was a race to see who would get to sleep first, or snore the loudest!

Maggie used to love to ride in the car, sitting very properly in the back seat when we were both there, or usually in the front seat when Daddy wasn't. She had separation anxiety - she once at an entire loveseat because she was mad at me for not being home! She would go everywhere with me - to the store, to the post office, to the bank - you name it, Maggie was there! We were a family - there was never more love than with Pat, Maggie and me.

Often times, she would appear on our Christmas cards - she certainly was on our mailing labels, and everyone knew her and loved her. She had many Uncles and Aunts - Uncle Bill (who loved to call her Muggles), Aunt Bonny, Cousin Billy (who loved to rough-house with her and often baby-sat her), cousin Kristie, Uncle Rande (she liked to shed on his black pants), Uncle Jim and Aunt Lois (wow! did she love them!!), Uncle Bob-ski (who was the first to meet her all those years ago!), Uncle Chris, Aunt Linda D., her Grandmom and Granddad Peggy and Leo (they are my folks and just loved her to pieces - she would stay with them when we visited), her Grandmom and Granddad Josephine and Ed (she never truly warmed up to Grandmom Josephine, but Granddad Ed she loved with a passion!), and then there were all her Aunts and Uncles that are the MOBsters! She never knew what a MOBster meant, but she was one just the same. She even got to meet our granddaughter last Christmas and just fell in love with her. And, Maggie was even the star of her own Valentine Card, thanks to her Aunt Lois!

Maggie's favorite activities during the day, besides sleeping, eating and playing, was watching her Mommy bring in all those foolish Boyds bears. She never really understood why Mommy had to have them, and especially why she couldn't play with them, but she tolerated them, much like a dog tolerates a cat!

Maggie's life went on - most of it was spent just enjoying the summer, the first snowfall (and getting her feathers full of snow balls), sitting on the couch,  furreting in the snow like a bear, going to get her hair cut once a month with her dear friend and groomer Penny,  taking short trips with us (especially to the Edison Collectibles show in April of 1998), and being the best friend one could ever have. And, oh - did she like to smile.....

Then, one day in April 1999, we didn't know Maggie was going for her last grooming. She was beautiful - her hair glistened, she had beautiful green ribbons and she was a site. We did not realize it was the last time she would ever be that beautiful again. I had picked her up from what I believed to be an uneventful time. We came home, she laid down in the Boyds Bears in the dining room (something she never did!), and groaned the most hideous groan one can imagine. I ran to her, picked her up - she looked at me with those big, beautiful brown eyes, kissed me, groaned -- and died! I was beside myself - I administered CPR to her for 3 minutes, but knew it was too late. She had left us -- I cried and cried, and held her in my arms.. "Maggie, it's ok -- you go to Grandma (my grandmother who loved animals)... I'll see you, you wait for me... I love you my darling daughter!".... Blair came to the house - Pat, Blair and I cried and held her... and Pat wrapped her in her favorite bear blanket and she left us forever.

But no -- Maggie will always live in our hearts..... she is here, with me now -- sitting under the computer table, standing at the top of the stairs staring at me, looking for her treats. She is in my heart, and Pat's, and all of those dear friends who loved her...she is gone physically, but she will remain a part of us forever. She was all that was good and kind and loving, and Oh, did we love her.

Maggie will come home on Sunday, May 16th. Her Uncle Blair and Uncle Rande will be bringing her home. We are having a memorial service for her in her home, where she lived and where she died. We intend to celebrate her life, not mourn her death. Maggie was always one for a good party, and we plan to honor her in that way, especially serving doughnut holes and Oreo cookies! We intend to invite our guests to plant a flower for her in her garden - the garden she and I planted in the Summer of 1998 - actually I planted - she supervised!

Please remember Maggie with love... and hug your pets. Treat them as you would want to be treated - with love, respect and dignity. And remember, if you should ever lose your dog-son or dog-daughter, the pain passes... the heart ache remains and the smiles come back - eventually. Our dear friend Lois reminded us of this when she sent us this touching poem....

They say memories are golden,
well, maybe that is true...
I never wanted memories...
I only wanted you.
A million times I needed you,
a million times I cried....
If love alone could have saved you,
you never would have died.
In life we loved you dearly,
in death we love you still...
If tears could build a stairway
and heartache make a lane,
We'd walk the path to heaven
and bring you back again.
Our family chain is broken,
and nothing seems the same...
But as God calls us one by one,
the chain will link again.

Author unknown...

 Please visit Maggie's Memorial Page